1. Field
Example embodiments relate to poly(ferrocenyl)silane based polymers, methods of preparing the same, and films including the poly(ferrocenyl)silane based polymers. The poly(ferrocenyl)silane based polymers are prepared using a simplified process and thus the manufacturing costs thereof are relatively low. In addition, the poly(ferrocenyl)silane based polymers are used in a photonic crystal matrix.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electroactive polymers (EAP) are polymers that convert an electrical energy into a mechanical energy, or vice versa. EAPs can be categorized into ionic EAPs and electrical EAPs, and examples of ionic EAPs may include ionic polymer metal composites and conducting polymers, and examples of electrical EAPs may include dielectric elastomers and electrostrictive polymers. These polymers are used for different purposes due to their different characteristics. Among these polymers, ionic polymer metal composites are most suitable for use in displays due to their lower driving voltage and relatively short response time. However, using ionic polymer metal composites in a photonic crystal matrix may be difficult.
The manufacture of EAPs using oxidation and reduction properties of organo-metallic component-containing crosslinked polymers has been taken into consideration. In this regard, ferrocene-group containing monomers are very suitable for forming an EAP having an improved performance because they have a resistance to oxygen and water and are reversibly, electrochemically oxidized and reduced in various solvents.
Such monomers are polymerized by ring-opening polymerization (ROP), e.g., thermal polymerization or metal-catalyzed polymerization. However, the thermal polymerization requires a relatively high temperature of about 130 to 280° and an inert atmospheric condition, and is not effective for controlling a molecular weight of a polymer.
Anionic polymerization may be performed under a relatively mild condition with a higher polymerization rate and may be effective for controlling a molecular weight of a polymer, while extremely pure monomers obtained by a plurality of purification processes are required. A polymerization reaction using platinum based catalysts does not require higher temperatures and relatively high-purity monomers, which are required for thermal polymerization and anionic polymerization, although this polymerization method is not effective for controlling a molecular weight of a polymer.